Improvement in hollow building-blocks



- UNITED STATES MASON n. rmnon, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOLLOW BUILDING-BLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,193, dated November 21, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MASON B. PlIlROE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Hollow Building- Block; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

Of these drawings, Figure 1 represents one of my improved blocks in perspective. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectionthereof taken on the plane of the line at m, Fig. 1, showing the interior form and construction of the block. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a block of the same construction, showingmore particularly the manner of letting the floor-joists or beams into walls constructed of my improved blocks. Fig. 4 is a top view of a block of the same construction, showing more particularly the manner of arranging doors and windows in walls built of my improved blocks.

The nature of my invention consists in an improved building-block, constructed with internal spaces or perforations through it in such a manner that when several blocks are properly placed in courses to compose the walls of a buildingthat is to say, one block on one course upon two blocks in another course -so as to break joints, not only shall the perforations or spaces in the blocks form continuous vertical air passages through the walls of the structure, but there shall also be a wall, continuous and unbroken vertically, around each of such air passages, while at the same time a proper bond between the blocks may be made without causing vertical joints or seams in the shell or wall surrounding the passages. These features secure many important advantages, which will be hereinafter explained.

The form of my improved block is more particularly shown in Fig. 1, which,'in detail, may be described as consisting of two upright cylindrical columns, A B, standing side by side, and connected together at the point where their peripheries meet, and further connected by a wall, 0, which forms the plain side of the block, and is intended to serve as the interior wall of a room. I have shown a mortise, a, cut or formed in this wall 0, of a size to receive the end of a floor-joist or beam; and it will be observed that a joist thus arranged will be sufficiently and strongly supported. In Fig. 4 I have shown a mode of arranging the windows and doors of a building, whereby the casing and moldings usually employed may be dispensed with. An opening or space is formed in one side of the block, as shown in said Fig. 4, and plates 12 b, of metal or other material, are placed vertically in the channel in one column, and the space around the plates filled up with cement or other suitable filling. A way or recess for awindow or door to slide in is thus formed, and the ordinary moldings and casings can be dispensed with. In finishing up a house constructed of such walls, after two of my improved blocks have been placed vertically side by side, there is a V- shaped space opening toward the interior of the building. To close up this space ordinary bricks are to be placed endwise one upon another, and the smaller spaces filled with plaster or cement, and thus a plain interior wall is provided. Two adjacent blocks can be secured together by first placing them close together and then cementing them in such position in any suitable way. The inside of the walls need not be lathed to receive the plaster, as the latter can be placed directly on the blocks and will adhere sufficiently well; or paper can be pasted directly to the walls, and

thus a great item in expense can be saved. The

outside of the walls presents a neat and ornamental appearance, and they can be covered with a lime-wash of any color to suit the taste of the builder. Angular walls can be built with these blocks without difficulty, and perfect angles be obtained.

A firm and solid wall may be built with my improved blocks, and a comparatively small amount of material be consumed. Consequently a house or other building constructed of these hollow blocks can be produced at amoderate cost.

I will here remark that it is not essential that the columns A B should be cylindrical in shape, as their outer surface may be of other shapes, if desired; but in all cases I construct them with the interior space or channel above described. Wh en, however, the two parts of the blocks are made in columns which are cylindrical, as shown in the drawings, or of any other equivalent geometrical form, they will be found extremely convenient for structures in which it is required to produce circular or irregular outlines, or, as is above alluded to, angles of different characters, as the shape of the blocks will adapt them with great facility to any of these purposes.

Hollow bricks or building-blocks devised prior to my invention have not been so constructed that, when the bricks were laid in courses so as to break joints and make a good bond in the requisite manner, the air-channels or flues through the structure could be formed without unavoidably causing a vertical joint at one side of the flues. But by my improved block it will be observed that this defect is entirely obviated, as each block has an unbroken shell or wall of material surrounding two or more perforations in the block, so that when the blocks are in position each air-flue is inclosed by a solid wall, unbroken vertically, and all vertical joints are dispensed with, while at the same time a perfect bond is obtained without difficulty. This renders my block the most convenient which has been introduced, and it may be manufactured with great ease and cheapness.

Among the many advantages obtained by my invention I will state the following: First, each and every room in a house or other building can be thoroughly ventilated by placing registers in the walls of the room. Second, the spaces or channels in the columns A B may serve as flues by properly connecting those that are desired for such purpose to a draught-chimney, or by placing chimneys or cowls on their tops, and thus provision is made for placing a stove or other heater in every room of the house, its pipe being properly let into such flues. Third, sinks or water-closets can be located in any room in a house constructed of my improved block. In such cases the spaces or channels in the columns may be made to serve as waste-ducts, or waste-pipes may be run down them at little expense. Fourth, gas and water pipes can be carried to any story of a house through the said spaces or channels and be at all times perfectly protected against the action of frost or cold weather. Fifth, the

said spaces or channels may serve as'conductors of hot air from a furnace below, and the hot air be let into any room through registers placed in the walls. Sixth, the spaces and channels may also serve as conductors of pure air, which can be let into the rooms of a house through registers properly placed in the walls. Seventh, rainwater leaders from the roof can be passed down through the said spaces or channels, and be protected from the action of the weather, and therefore last much longer. Eighth, inasmuch as each block forms a section of a continuous channel or space within the walls extending from foundation to roof, a current of air, if permitted to pass through said channels or spaces, would insure perfect dryness to the walls. Ninth, by the use of my hollow blocks a strong and durable house can be built, and one which will be cool in summer and warm in winter, with but a comparatively small amount of material.

I do not claim, broadly, the construction of building-blocks with spaces or perforations in them, as they are well known; but

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a buildingblock having an unbroken wall around two or more spaces or perforations in the block in such a manner that when one block is placed upon two others a proper bond will be obtained and continuous airflues will be formed without any vertical joint or joints in the wall surrounding the lines, substantially as described.

2. A building-block composed of two or more parallel upright columns, of a cylindrical or other equivalent geometrical shape, connected together at the point where their peripheries meet, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the wall or walls of a hollow brick or building-block, or one containing spaces or perforations as set forth, of plates of metal or other material or their equivalent so as to form a channel-way or recess for a window or door to slide in, substantially as shown and described.

MASON R. PIERCE.

Witnesses:

JOHN R. COOPER, T. B. BEECHER. 

